Whispers and Stares
by loonydaydreams
Summary: Just before returning to Hogwarts for their "8th" year Hermione and Malfoy run into each other, where he learns she's depressed. What will Draco do?   Re-written!
1. Chapter 1

**Okay so as most of you know, I took this story down to re-write and re-think. The plot is still the same, but I got confused with another story. Timings/Places etc. But I'm sorting them both now. I have three stories on the go, but I will try to update as soon as I can, but I probably will not be updating for the next few weeks, which will probably turn into a month: therefore I probably will not update till Jan. If you are desperate for an update, message me or review and I will see what I can do.****  
>P.S NONE OF IT'S MINE EXCEPT THE PLOTPLACES+CHARACTERS YOU DO NOT KNOW. IT'S ALL JKR'S!**

Just before returning to Hogwarts for their "8th" year Hermione and Malfoy run into each other, where he learns she's depressed. What will Draco do?

_Where was she going? And why had I followed her? She'd travelled through muggle transport, which was strange even for her. Why was I even here? Ahhh stop turning round Merlin damn it._

_Does she know I'm here and where the hell are we? I turned around and saw rows and rows of... houses? Yes, houses. Small but nice houses, still don't know where we are though. I hadn't noticed she'd stopped. I followed her gaze to a house in front of her, something inside me wanted me to go and talk to her but she didn't know I was here so that is foolish. She started taking small but tiny .steps towards the house then stopped abruptly and turned. Oh no!_

"Malfoy what are you doing here?" She hissed at me with narrowed eyes and crossing her arms over her body.

"Er.. I Er..." I stuttered and took a step backwards, unsure of how to approach.

"Yes I know you were following me, I could sense it." She stated matter-of-factly, crossing her arms in distaste.

".." I remained silent; stunned that she had known I was behind her all along. Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes before turning her attention back to the houses.

"Well in case you're wondering, this is where I grew up, before I went to Hogwarts of course." She told me softly.

"Hm it's... lovely" I told her, though the look in her eye told me she didn't believe me.

"Not as grand as Malfoy Manor though I presume?" She questioned even though she already knew the answer.

"No... But it's nicer, in a way" The truth but even as I said it I wondered myself if it was true.

"So why did you follow me?" She asked me flatly.

_Nothing like getting straight to the point Granger..._

"I wanted to... I er... I w-w-wanted to know if you'd come out on a d-date with m-me?" I stuttered, unsure if I should have told her the real reason why I was following her.

"Seriously, you want to date the _mudblood_?" She hissed at me with narrowed eyes.

I cringed inside at the way she said it... she hadn't forgiven me for all those years of torment.

"Don't say that word, blood status means nothing to me anymore." I replied truthfully.

"I was joking but I'm still curious, why follow me all the way out here just to ask me on a date, why not owl me?" She asked me with a questioning look spread across her face.

_Why all the questions? But she did look cute when she looked all confused. Stop it! No do not think of her like that!_

"Oh wow you make jokes now? You've changed... I'm a gentleman and I wanted to ask you in person." I said with a slight smirk on my face.

"Haha very funny. So you followed me?"

_Did I just make a joke with Hermione Granger?_

"Er, now you put it like that I sound like a stalker, but yes." I hadn't thought of that myself but now she mentioned it...

"Why now?" She hissed with her arms still crossed and her eyes narrowed.

"What on earth are you going on about now Granger?" I replied with a puzzled look on my face.

"Why now? Why not tomorrow, or the day after? I regarded you as one of my closest friends. You betrayed my trust Malfoy." She answered truthfully with a look of betrayal in her eyes.

_Oh that's what she meant!_

"I'm s-sorry." I did truly mean that, but maybe she didn't know I did.

"Yes well you don't have to carry the scars around with you every day."

With that she stormed off. Leaving me in a very uncomfortable position. Surrounded by muggles. I made a decision one I hopefully wouldn't regret.

"Granger wait!" I ran after her shouting her name, but the closer I got the faster she walked.

_I could hear him shouting after me, so I picked up my pace. Why does he never get the picture?_

_I could sense him the second I got on the train at kings cross; I've known him too long to not know when he's around that pureblood twit. I could still hear his footsteps, Merlin damn it this boy does not give up! With that I stopped thought of the 3 D's and apparated. That will teach him I thought. Wondering around the rest of muggle London I thought to myself what if Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy had agreed to their son, the only Malfoy heir, marrying a mudblood. Would her life be different? What the Merlin!_

"Malfoy you didn't seem to of understood when I walked away. You left me remember, told me to leave that is what I'm doing now, leaving" I hissed at him, before turning to walk away.

"I never wanted you to leave. You're the love of my life!" He grabbed my wrist so I couldn't leave. Then it hit me what he just said "I'm t-the w-what of your l-life?" I stuttered unsure of anything he just told me. He could see I was faulting, his smirk growing bigger by the second. Then I apparated, he wasn't worth the pain anymore.

"DRACO WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!" Draco had barely been through the floo 5 seconds before his mother was screaming at him, as calmly as he could he sighed before he walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her. Shocked by this sudden change of behaviour she returned the gesture before whispering

"You've seen her haven't you?" His silence only confirmed her suspicions she sighed and said "You do know she's depressed right?" His silence told her he didn't she carried on "Whatever you have done I will stand by you. I know how much you hurt when she left. Tell her"

He knew she was referring to the time when he and Granger briefly dated secretly throughout their 6th year. She had left him just before leaving with Weasley and Potter to hunt for the precious horcruxes. _Granger, depressed? Things must of gotten bad.._

His mother left him and he walked to his study where he instantly started writing Gr-Hermione a letter.

'_Mione_

_I am sorry for what happened during our 6__th__ and 7__th__ years. I miss you. I love you Hermione, I promise. I never stopped loving you. I had to lie about being a d-d-death eater to protect my family. And you. I didn't want to, but he told me that he would kill you if I didn't. I couldn't risk your life or the life of our child's. Yes I know, we have a charmed family tree in the Manor. Our baby appeared as soon as you had found out. I was over the moon, then a few days later a line through it appeared. I questioned my mother and she told me you got rid of it. I cried for three days straight. I refused to leave my room and I wouldn't see anyone. It's you I want Hermione. Please give me another chance. I heard about you and Wea-Ron. If you are still with him I will leave you be, but only if you can truly tell me you are happy._

_Yours forever, _

_Draco._

It sounded too cheesy to of been written by him, but he didn't care. It was the first time he had ever admitted his feelings to her since she left. Calling his owl, he attached his letter to its leg and told her to take it to Hermione Granger as quickly as possible. He gave her a treat before she left and then watched as the owl took to the sky.

_Focus Hermione, Focus. All you have to do is pack the muggle way and you can leave. Just try and remember everything.._

Her thoughts were interrupted by a slight tapping sound, at first she didn't know what it was so carried on, the tapping became rather loud and that's when it hit her: it was an owl trying to get through the window. Hermione rushed over to the window and let the owl in. She did not recognise the owl, it was not Draco's.. Draco's was all black, this was white, yet it couldn't be Hedwig he died. Muttering to herself she gave the owl a treat and watched it fly off before casting a spell over the letter, to make sure it wasn't cursed and opened it.

Reading his beautiful, pureblood script made Hermione break down. She had held it together for over 7 years. 7 years she had been this strong intelligent woman. She had helped Harry through everything The Basilisk, Sirius, The Triwizard Cup, The Order, Dumbledore's death and defeating Voldemort. Yet what made Hermione Granger break was Draco Malfoy's handwriting. She read the letter over and over again before finally making a decision. She flooed over to the Weasleys.

Upon arrival, Hermione was greeted with "Hi 'Mione" "Here to see Ron? He's upstairs" Hermione ignored them, she didn't mean to, she just wasn't in the mood and she was looking for Ginny. She found Mrs Weasley in the kitchen and asked her where Ginny was to which Molly replied she was in her room. Hermione, who could find her way around the Burrow blindfolded set off at an alarming speed. She found Ginny, who was in her room like Molly said, shut the door and broke down. Again. Ginny, who of course had no idea what had happened rushed to her best friends side and asked her. Hermione couldn't reply so she just threw the letter into Ginny's hands.

Hermione stayed sat against the door, knees to her chest, arms wrapped around them; until Ginny had finished the letter. She didn't even have to look up to know Ginny had read it because she could hear her.

"Hermione he has a point. I saw him just after you g-got you know rid of the baby" she whispered the last bit of her sentence and paused before carrying on "You mean the world to him, and he is being genuine. Go over there, talk things through. Please" If there was one person who could force her into things it was Ginerva Weasley. Hermione took her letter, thanked her before leaving the house and apparating to Malfoy Manor.

She knew his Mother would be home, but she and Narcissa had always gotten along so hopefully she wouldn't mind. Everyone knew Lucius had died in the war last year, the house was most probably a better place without him. Before she even knew what she was doing Hermione had already put her hand on the gate, it recognised her touch and swung open for her; She looked up and saw the huge manor in front of her, before walking tentatively up towards the house. Not that it was a house, castle was more the appropriate word.

Hermione was just about to knock on the door when it swung open, there stood a beaming Narcissa Malfoy. Who instantly pulled Hermione into her arms.

"Oh Hermione. I'm so sorry for everything. The war, Draco.. The baby" She whispered the word baby as if knowing it was still a touchy subject for her, then she directed her in the direction that Draco was; she said she guessed Hermione knew her way around, to which Hermione laughed and said yes. Hermione reached the study door. It was too late to back out. Too late to go anywhere, Narcissa would come hunt her down if she did anyway. So she knocked and entered without even waiting for an answer.

Draco Malfoy was busy working out some sums for his fathers – well now his – business when he heard a knock on his study door. He was just about to reply saying not to disturb him when he saw the door open. Who had the audacity to enter HIS study without HIS permission? He was just about to go into a rant when he saw who it was.

"Hermione" He whispered breathlessly. Just seeing her. In his house, took his breath away. Merlin she really was beautiful.

He slowly got out of his chair, walked to the other side of the desk and leant on it. Hermione was watching him intently, she hadn't said a word since she entered the study and she was pretty sure she hadn't let out her breathe since.

"I take it you received my letter?" Draco asked her with a small smile.

Hermione nodded before replying "Nothing like getting to the point Malfoy"

"You know me" He retorted before winking and carrying on "What brought you here? I thought you would wait till the 1st, you know to embarrass me in public by telling me no a-" He was interrupted by Hermione putting a finger on his lips.

"I thought I'd save you the embarrassment" Draco went on to tell her all about why he loved her and that he hadn't stopped loving her when she interrupted him again

"No. You loved the thought of me, and the thought of an Heir. You didn't love me. You never did. If you did you would never have left! You knew I could handle myself! I mean who else has been attacked by horcruxes, trolls, death eaters and Merlin knows what else over the years and live to tell the tale!" She screamed at me before crumbling before me and kneeling on the floor in floods of tears. Through the sobbing I could just hear what she was saying "I need you so much Draco it hurts. When you followed me the other day I thought I was dreaming I'm leaving Draco. I don't want to go through what I did. .Alone" With that she left my study and I was alone with my thoughts again.


	2. Chapter 2

**I apologise in advance for the lateness of this chapter. Yes its completely different to my first idea of Whispers and Stares - apologies. **

**Yeah we all know the drill about not owning Harry Potter, if we did we would be writing another book not Fan Fiction right?**

Hermione left Draco's study hoping to escape Malfoy Manor before she ran into Narcissa. Unfortunately, she didn't manage it, Narcissa was waiting for Hermione at the bottom of the spiral staircase.

"Hermione, what on earth happened? I thought you were talking to Draco?" Narcissa whispered so quietly that if she wasn't as close to Hermione as she was Hermione wouldn't of heard her.

"I'm sorry Narcissa. I can't take your son back, he destroyed my heart as did your husband when he rejected me" Hermione noticed Narcissa was going to interrupt her so she put up a hand to silence her and carried on "yes I know Lucius isn't here anymore, but I'm still broken hearted. I know it wasn't Draco's fault but" Hermione broke down into tears and sat on the bottom stair with her head in her hands.

Hermione felt a presence round her shoulders, she didn't need to look up to know it was Narcissa, she had had enough of these comforting hugs to know who it was. Hermione heard Narcissa whisper to her that she understood but she thought that Draco deserved another chance. Hermione nodded slightly and didn't realise she had gotten up before she found herself, once again, in front of Draco Malfoys personal study. This time she didn't even knock she walked, well flew, through the door. Hermione didn't say anything to the stunned blonde man sat behind the mahogany desk, instead she just launched herself at him sobbing into his chest.

To say Draco was shocked was an understatement. He was overwhelmed, startled and stunned. Yes, To say Draco Malfoy was shocked was indeed an understatement. Instead of saying anything to the young,sobbing witch, Draco just wrapped his arms around the girl and whispered in her ear.

"Hermione I'm so sorry, for everything. You don't know how much I've missed you I-" before he could carry on Hermione's lips crashed to his, successfully silencing him. This was how Narcissa Malfoy found them, tangled up in each others arms snogging the face off each other.

As Narcissa cleared her throat, Hermione pulled back. It took her a few seconds before her eyes widened as she realised what had happened. Getting off Draco and walking round the desk she apologised to both Mother and Son before going to the flop and shouting "Granger household"

Even though her parents had been killed during the war, Hermione still liked to return home when things got tough. She sighed as she sat in the familiar couch, the one in which so much had happened. The one where she had first told her parents about her letter, the one where she had told them about her 1st year and every year after, the one where she had complained about Draco then later confessed her love for him, the one where she had poured her heart out when he left and lastly the one where she found her parents after Harry had defeated you-know-who. As she was reminiscing she didn't notice the person who had stepped out of the floo. It was the one and only Draco Malfoy.

Hermione sighed before asking softly "What are you doing here?"

Before he answered Draco took a seat next to the young witch before replying "We need to talk. You need to know everything, and I mean everything" Draco obviously noticed the confused look that Hermione gave him so he carried on "In 6th year I fell in love. I fell in love with the best thing that's ever happened to me, she was gorgeous, funny, intelligent and amazing. We had common interests and we were alike, but not so alike that we got bored of agreeing - oh no we had our fair share of arguments" As he said this he heard a light chuckle from the bushy-haired girl sat next to him "We weren't that close, until she found me in a state of distress. We became close. Closer than I've ever been with anyone, even my mother, I told her things I've never told anyone, and slowly I fell in love with her. It took me almost a year to get her to fall in love with me and she did, and it was beautiful. We weren't together that long, but in that time I proposed, which was accepted, and we became pregnant - not me personally but you know what I mean. Perhaps we rushed I don't know. Then the war happened. I was fighting for the wrong side so I left her, to protect her and our unborn child. I'm still in love with her now. It has been two years since I left, two years without her in my arms, two years without her smile greeting me at breakfast in the great hall. I miss that, the little things. The way her hand would brush mine slightly during potions, or the way she sat staring at me dreamily in divination. Yes, I miss her. It's the biggest regret of my life - letting her go. Even getting the dark mark isn't on par with how much I regret leaving her. I'm telling you this Hermione because you're that girl. You're that girl who I fell in love with, the girl who I let go and the girl who I regret trying to protect. If you can look me in the eye and tell me right now you don't love me then I will leave and I won't try to contact you again"

Hermione turned to Draco, looked him in the eye and said "You know I can't do that Draco. I love you, with all my heart, but we can't. If it didn't work then it's not going to work now. Go back to Pansy or Astoria. Just forget about me, go back to calling me mudblood. Please."

With one hand Draco held her hand, with the other he pulled her chin up so she was facing him. "I can't do that Hermione. I've loved you for TWO years, you were having my baby and we were engaged for Merlin's sake!" noticing her flinch at his words Draco lowered his voice so it was practically a whisper "Please Hermione. One more chance, I won't disappoint you. I promise"

"I can't."

The two simple words which made Draco flip. "WHY?"

With the same look in her eye that she had when he left her two years ago she replied "I'm with Ron."

With those three simple words Draco knew he had lost her. To Weasley. She was gone, she was no longer his, she was Weasley's. Understanding that she wasn't his, Draco gave her a longing look before standing up and disappariting the hell out of her house.


End file.
